Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/2/12

10 July 2007

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 266/2007

European Union (EU)* : Regenerated Cellulose Film Intended to Come into Contact with Foodstuffs

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 194/2007 of 3 May 2007, the European Commission (the Commission) has adopted a Directive to replace the previous Directive concerning the materials and articles made of regenerated cellulose film intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Details are set out in Commission Directive 2007/42/EC (the Directive), which can be accessed through the following link :
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2007/l_172/l_17220070630en00710082.pdf.

DETAILS

2. Regenerated cellulose film is a thin sheet material obtained from refined cellulose derived from unrecycled wood or cotton. The Directive specifies the substances or groups of substances that could be used in the production of regenerated cellulose film intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. For regenerated cellulose film with plastic coating, the coating should also comply with Directive 2002/72/EC.
3. At the marketing stages, materials or articles made of regenerated cellulose film intended to come into contact with foodstuffs shall be accompanied by a written declaration, unless by their nature they are clearly intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Where special conditions of use are indicated, the material or article shall also be labelled accordingly.

ENQUIRIES

4. For enquiries concerning the contents of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5500.

Yours faithfully,

(K H NG)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.